St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-05-04
ssCAM HLLE.1
Bernhardt's Great Production of
Dumas Popular Drama.


AS picture of fine dramatic work, there
is nothing more superb than Bernhardt's
Camille" as it was presented at the Grand
last evening. And yet it was a sort of re-
gretful feeling to see this hackneyed iteratim
substituted for the judicious and successful
novelty of the previous evening For there
could be nothing more characteristic, more
essentially representative of Sara Bern
hardtS dramatic method and nature than
the type OF woman that is shown in her
personatiOn of Fedora" 1t was so
brilliantly effective on Monday night that
its repetition would certainly have found
favor with her st. Paul audiences. There
is nothing in the line of French drama more
familiar to American audiences than
Camille" and perhaps nothing more
malodorous. The story presents a
subject dsagreeable for reflection
and one from which 10 useful lesson can be
drawn. 1t displays ample scope for emo
tional display in the art of acting. and for
that reason has retained its popularity. In
her production of Camille" Madame Bern
hardt presents the original French play.
The Odor of it is not more fragrant than the
English adaptation. The heroine is the
samoa woman radically virtuouS by ma
ture but who has been driven into life of
shameful sin and from which she is unable
to eXtricate herself on account of the cir
cumStanceS of ineXcuSable social tyrany
which govern her. Bernhardt gives re-
deeming quality to the character by her i'm
perSonatlon, in that she makes it funda-
mental attribute to her ideal, that beneath
the sin and shame Of Candles" condition
there is a strain of physical purity and at
last the capacity of spiritual remorse is de-
veloped in her by the action of true love-
The goodness in the woman's nature after
love has awakened it, is tortured by the
faint OF unholy passion, the sense of shame
and the hungry craving for impos-
sible happiness. Bernhardt's Camille"
is Ia living Interpretation of
II orse'S doomed traitor in everlasting tor
ment ''beholding heaven and feeling hell"
The piece makes no heavy draft upon Bern
hardtS dramatic power, and yet her per-
Torrance of the central character is marked
by consummate and beautiful thoroughness
of execution. 1t is difficult to realize that
Bernhardt is acting in Camille" 1t is
more like real manifestation of human
nature in its most distressing conditions.
There can be no more affecting revelation
OF misery than where Camille reads the re-
proachfu letter of her lover nor could
there be more impressive picture than
Bernhardts image and denotement of the
final ecstacy of Candles death. There
was an involuntary startle. and universal
shudder ran through the audience as she
dropped dead into the arms of her lover.
The death scene in Camille" is probably
Bernhardt's most effective dramitic work.
''NfANIToU."
The Minneapolis Amatuer Opera COM
pany will give performance of "Manitou'
at the Grand opera house tonight. This is
probably one of the best amateur musical
organizations in the country, and its pro-
duction of ''Manitou" in our neighboring
city was spoken OF in the highest terms by
those who witnessed it, The scene of
''Manitou'' is in the Bad Lands, and the
date of the action the year 1900. The plot
embraces an attempt of the Tezitonka
Indians, under the command of Big Gun,
to unhorse the United States government,
and what came of it. The costumes of the
opera are designed from Catlin's Indian
paintings Indian songs and war-dances
are introduced in the performance
Sale of seats for May Blossom" engage
ment, which opens tomorrow night. is
progressing satisfactory.
Sale of seats for Carlton Opera company's
engagement next week opens Friday morn
iDr